


Minutes to Midnight

by Shinimegami



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Could be taken as established or unestabished relationship, Fluff, M/M, New Year's Eve, Romance, mentions of Kuroko's family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-14
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-13 20:45:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5716471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinimegami/pseuds/Shinimegami
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Last minute decisions and everything that follows after</p><p>or</p><p>Kagami has an interesting start to the new year.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Minutes to Midnight

**Author's Note:**

> I know this is a bit late considering the turn of the new year has come and gone but I finally got some will to write back after having months of just absolutely nothing in the tank, so to speak. 
> 
> Also I apologize if the timing of the Winter Cup is off or doesn’t make sense. I adlibbed it for the sake of mentioning it for a paragraph or so. I'm claiming artistic license on that mess.

Ten minutes until midnight.

New Year’s never really meant a whole lot to Kagami. A lot of years, especially when he was younger, he slept right through it, unable to keep his eyes open for the big moment, even if his father had given him permission to stay up for the occasion. It always seemed like a holiday for older people in the states, people who would go to parties and drink until the clock hit 12:00, so he never really put much value on it. So it was the start of the new year? Everyone would return to their lives shortly after, so to Kagami, while it was something worth noting, it wasn’t something to throw a big celebration over, really. 

This evening seemed to punctuate that idea. He was home in his apartment, once again on his own. The TV was on, but he really wasn’t paying much attention to it, even as the program he was watching had a clock in the corner of the screen, steadily counting down the seconds until the new year hit. He was on the couch with a basketball magazine, kind of smirking to himself as his eyes passed over an article about Seirin and their “Cinderella Story” rise to the top of the Winter Cup. They hadn’t made it completely yet, and honestly, no publications had really made any moves to actually _approach_ them for an interview, but he couldn’t lie, he had a moment of pride seeing a blurb about them in a magazine that he frequently read. In the next few games, he’d definitely give them something to write about. 

After a moment or two, he closed his magazine and yawned, stretching and glancing at the TV. Eight minutes and 30 seconds. Alright, just this once he’d stay up and watch the minutes pass. Japan always made a bigger deal out of New Year's for some reason. It was kind of a family holiday, which seemed kind of odd after years of having been exposed to it as a kind of date holiday in the US. Everyone made _such_ a big deal out of who, if they had anyone, they wanted to kiss at midnight. Kind of a dumb thing to obsess about, if you asked him. If anything you should be more worried about finding someone you wanted to kiss for the next 364 days. Wouldn’t that make more sense? 

Kagami got up and pushed back the blinds covering the sliding glass door to his balcony. It was snowing a bit. Not enough to collect on the ground yet, but just enough that little white specks floated down from the sky, sparkling in the glow of the street lamps below. He watched it for a few minutes before hearing and almost urgent sounding knock at the door. 

A confused look on his face, Kagami went to answer it. Who the hell was at his door this close to midnight on New Year's? Shouldn’t they be home with their family celebrating? He opened the door speaking before he realized who it was.

“What the he—“

He immediately stopped when he spotted Kuroko standing outside his apartment door, admittedly a little thrown off to see him there. 

“Kuroko?”

“Hello, Kagami-kun.”

“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with your family?”

“I spent the day with them. Actually, they urged me to come here when I told them that you would be alone. I was almost afraid I wouldn’t make it.” 

Kagami glanced over at the TV, curious at how much time was left exactly. Five minutes, 23 seconds. He sighed and opened the door a little wider, stepping aside and allowing Kuroko in and then shutting the door behind him. “So your family just randomly encouraged you to show up?”

He couldn’t tell if Kuroko was blushing or if the cold outside had just managed to turn his skin a bright pink, but his small partner looked away as he adjusted his scarf. “Admittedly, it didn’t take much pushing, but yes. My grandmother especially. Said that you were too nice to leave all by yourself on New Years.” 

Now it was Kagami’s turn to blush and kind of look away. “Well, you’re here now. Might as well hang out with me, right?” 

Kuroko turned his attention back to him with a small smile as he began to pull off his gloves. “That would be nice. Thank you.”

Kagami got the feeling that even if he didn’t put a whole lot of stock in this whole New Year's Eve business, he should be thanking Kuroko instead. However, he moved away from the door as Kuroko took off his scarf, jacket, and shoes, carefully leaving them in a designated spot in the entrance.

“Have you eaten yet?” He could make something really quick, if Kuroko wanted.

“Yes, I have. My grandmother insisted on cooking a large meal. Actually, she also insisted I bring you this.”

Out of nowhere, Kuroko produced a tupperware container filled with food that his grandmother had made as he stepped out of the entry way, the both of them heading into the living room. Kagami blinked, having not expected something like that at all. “Oh. Well, tell her I said thank you. And that I’ll get her container back to her as soon as I can.”

Kuroko smiled in reply as Kagami took the container from him, taking it over to the kitchen. He’d already eaten tonight (although he could practically hear the multiple jokes about his appetite and the fact that he could probably eat again coming from just about everyone who knew him), but that was okay. He’d have the food for lunch tomorrow or something. Carefully placing the container in the refrigerator, he then returned to the living room to see Kuroko doing exactly what _he_ was doing before he’d shown up at his door. 

He was looking out the sliding glass doors of his balcony, watching the snow (which was now starting to collect just slightly on the roads below) sparkle under the streetlights. Kagami watched him for just a moment, something about the scene keeping him from interrupting it for just a second before he approached Kuroko, joining him at his side. 

“How bad is it?” He asked, as if he hadn’t been staring out the same window just minutes ago. 

“Looks like it’s just starting to gather.” Kuroko replied softly. “It’s rather pretty, but I didn’t realize how much snow was coming down on the way over.”

“No?”

Kuroko shook his head. “I suppose I was more preoccupied with getting to Kagami-kun’s in time.” 

The statement caused Kagami to glance at the TV again to check the time. Forty-seven seconds. 

“In time? What for? Midnight?” 

Kuroko nodded. “My parents’ and grandmother’s pushing aside…I did find it rather fitting to start the new year with the person who knows me best…and whom I know best.” 

Kagami felt his face grow warm at this and he looked away. Geeze, Kuroko always said such embarrassing things! But while scolding him for being embarrassing was probably almost a fitting way to wrap up this year, Kagami didn’t. If anything he was kind of at a loss for what to say to that. What _did_ you say to something like that?

“But there was also another reason I wanted to make it here before midnight.”

Kuroko’s statement made Kagami look back over at him. Now, he took pride in being able to read his partner’s facial expressions pretty well. Even when he seemed his even self on the surface, Kagami could usually see what was underneath it, but right now? …Right now he wasn’t sure. 

Fifteen seconds to midnight. 

Kagami raised a forked eyebrow. “What reason was that?”

Kuroko looked away for a second, almost seeming slightly embarrassed. Kagami could hear the countdown on the TV in the background, noting it only idly in the back of his mind. 

Ten seconds. 

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Kuroko finally looked back up at him, a glint of determination in his eyes that Kagami was almost sure someone else would have missed. 

Six.

Five. 

There was a moment’s pause and Kagami almost felt like asking Kuroko to just come out with whatever the heck it was he wanted to say, but he held that back, almost curious as to what he would do next. 

Four.

Three.

Time seemed to slow down despite the even countdown coming from the TV. Kuroko moved forward and pulled him close. 

Two.

One. 

Before he could even ask what he was doing, Kuroko grabbed him by the shirt, tugging him down and kissing him full on the lips just as the clock turned over to midnight. Kagami’s eyes went wide for a moment, but instead of pulling away he leaned into the contact, closing his eyes and moving to loosely wrap his arms around Kuroko’s middle. Despite having just come in from the cold a few minutes ago, Kuroko was already so warm and fit against him like that was just somewhere he belonged. Everything about his small partner seemed to fill his senses for that moment, and he was vaguely aware of fireworks going off. Whether that was the TV, a planned display outside the apartment, or a result of the kiss itself, Kagami wasn’t sure. Didn’t matter. 

Neither of them moved away when the kiss finally broke. Kuroko was blushing and from how hot his face felt, Kagami was certain he looked like a damn tomato at this point himself. However, before he could even say another word, Kuroko spoke. 

“That was the other reason.” He said softly. 

“Oh.” was about all Kagami could get out. Probably the least romantic thing that he could have responded with, but hey, could he be blamed?! He was totally blindsided with this!

Didn’t say he didn’t _like_ it. Just that it surprised him. 

Actually if they could do it again, that’d be _fantastic_.

Kagami almost couldn’t help the dumb grin that spread over his face, unsure of whether he wanted to hide away under his couch until his bashful embarrassment passed or whether he wanted to just kiss Kuroko again outright. The latter seemed like a more desirable idea for both sides, from what he could tell, so he leaned back in, capturing Kuroko’s lips with his own again, something that was met with his small partner taking in a breath through his nose and wrapping his arms around his neck, allowing himself to be held even closer as they kissed. 

By the time they pulled back this time, they were both wearing grins. Kuroko’s was more attractive though. Kind of shy, and nearly blushing as hard as he was.

“Happy new year, Taiga-kun.”

Kagami’s grin softened into a small smile as he gave Kuroko a gentle squeeze.

“Happy new year, Tetsuya.” 

He couldn’t help but lean in and give several more kisses, short pecks on Kuroko’s lips, the tip of his nose, and his forehead. Kagami wasn’t certain when he’d gotten this bold with affection, but maybe now that he knew it was welcome, and the fact that it was welcome with _Tetsuya_ of all people, it came a lot easier. Helped a bit that he gave something of a giggle at the attention.

“How about I make us both some hot chocolate?”

Kuroko gave him an affectionate smile that warmed Kagami from the inside out more than any hot drink could. “Yes, please.” 

Reluctantly slipping away from holding Kuroko close, Kagami moved to the kitchen to make up their drinks. He had to remind himself that given tonight’s events, he’d more than likely be returning to that state of being wrapped around his partner soon enough. Then again, he was having something of a hard time comprehending the fact that it’d happened at all. But…it was real, wasn’t it? It was real and it was wonderful. And he wanted to do it again. Not just on the start of a new year but just about every day after that, if Kuroko would allow it.

As the moment replayed itself in his mind, Kagami was coming closer and closer to the conclusion that he’d found that someone he wanted to kiss the other 364 days of the year too. Embarrassing thought? Maybe, but…when it came down to it, there was no one better to fit that description than Kuroko. After all, like Kuroko said, they knew and trusted each other best. What more could he want?

Kagami didn’t catch himself but he started humming to himself as he got two mugs ready for hot chocolate, eager to get them finished so he could return to Kuroko’s side. 

This was turning out to be a _very_ happy new year.


End file.
